Improvement in car-couplings



2 Sheets--Sheet 1..y S. U-STIC'K.

CAR-COUPLING.

N. PETERS. PHOTO LITHOGRFHER. WASHINGTON. D. C.

2 Sheets-Sheet Z.

S. USTICK.

CAR-COUPLING. No.1.78,817, Patentd June 13, 1876.

AFIGHE J I f7' Wham E Zh @geren Zar wy/6W U EINTTEE STATES 'PATENT CEEICE.

STEPHEN USTIGK, OF PHILADELPHlA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN CARLCOUPLINGS.

4Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 178,8 [7, dated June 13, 1876; application filed f November 18, 1875.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, STEPHEN UsTIcK, of

l the city and county of Philadelphia, in the the rails of the track, and rigidly connected, A

by means of the frame-work or hangers, to the bottom frame of the car-body, whereby the draw-bars are permitted to oscillate freely on their pivots, at or near the centers of the trucks, to allow the latter to run freely on curved tracks, and thus avoid the immense friction incidental to the usual mode of coupling, in which the drawbars are rigidly con-' nected to the car-frame; and also, by the draw-bars being thus arranged near the track, to avoid the immense leverage ordinarily exerted upon the rails and the flanges of the truckwheels when, the engine runs'oif the track, resulting in the cars being thrown upon their sides.

My present invention mainly consists in the combination of such longitudinal beam with the lower sides of the truck-framestheir upper sides having only a lateral connection with the car-body-being free to shift their position in the longitudinal direction of the car, as hereinafter set forth.

The draw-bars are connected by means of swivel-plates with said beam, and'consequently all the force exerted in the draft and bumping of the cars is in a horizontal line, from end to end of the train, but a short distance abovey the horizontal plane of the rails of the track, and hence the 'liability of the cars being torn from the trucks when the treads ofthe wheels meet with obstructions on the track, vwhich occurs in the ordinary manner of coupling the swivel-connection of the trucks with the cars, is avoided, and the great destruction to life and property thereby guarded against.

The swivel-plates on the upper sides of the trucks, instead of being made fas't to the truck-frames, as in the usual manner of connecting them, are fitted to rabbeted ways of the trucks, whereby the latter are free to move in the longitudinal direction of the car-fra|ne, to compensate for any irregularities of the track. 1

The invention further consists in the combination of bent rods with the outer ends of the truck-frames for the support of the drawbars, which are provided with friction-wheels, which rest upon the rods which hold them in their horizontal position and admit of their oscillating freely in the swivel movements o .the truck.

The invention also consists in the combination of vertical rods at their upper ends with the outer ends of rods, projected from the truck-frames, upon which they have an oscillatory movement, and with thel draw-bars at their lower ends, which are weighted, whereby they are kept in a vertical position when the draw-bars are uncoupled, so that all the ldrawbars may at such time be in thevvertical plane of their'respective trucks, to facilitate'their coupling.

The invention further consists in the construction of the outer ends of the drawheads square or at right angles tothe draw-bars, for the purpose of ykeeping the pairs of draw-bars coupled together in linewith each other when the draw-bars bump together. U

The draw-heads, being provided with swivel-v plates, may be connected with the ordinary swivel-plates which connect the trucks with the car-frames when further alteration in the cars is not desired, and thus accomplish one object of my invention, as hereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of one end ofthe bottom frame A of a car, and a truck, B, with my improvements. Fig. 2 is a vertical section at the line x w of Fig. 1. Fig. 3, Sheet No. 2, isV an end view of the truck B and car-frame A. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the longitudinal beam C and frame-work, for combining it with the frame A. Fig.7 is a top view of the drawbar D, on an enlarged scale, double that of the preceding figures. Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section at the line Z Z of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a plates F4 and F5.

top view of the swivel-plate F and the-end piece Dx of a draw-bar connected' therewith `by means of the horizontal pivotal. Fig.' 10 is an edge view of the same.

Like letters of reference in all the-figuresindicate the same parts.

A represents one endof `the bottom frame of a car-bod y, and'B a truck connected therewith. G is 'a longitudinal beam, similar to those shown in my patentsiabovefreterredto, but connected with the frame A in a different manner, and having swivel-plates on its ends for the connection of the trucks and draw-bars. It is arranged as low as practicable, for the purpose of having the draft and bumping of the draw-bars near the horizontal plane of the" rails of the track, and `thus to get rid of the immense leverage upon the sides ofthe rails and `ilanges of the truck-wheels incidental tothe usual mode of coupling when there is any side draft, especially when the engine runs oifthe track,-whereby the cars, ink consequence of `this leverage, are frequently thrown .i upon their sides as above stated. The draw-bar D has a swivel-plate, F, onitsinner end,\whichihas a `central projection, a, on its-lowerisid'e, and a `like depression, b, in its `upperside. .each end of the longitudinal beam U is con `nected afswivel-plate,F1,on its lower side,

With

and a like plate, F2 on itsupperside. yThe former has` a concentric depression, b2, which receives the projection a of the swivel-plate F, and-the latter a projection, al, which litsythe depression b of said plate F, as seenin Fig. 2.

`The swivel-plates Fl and F2 have flanges gl and g2, respectively, which are sunk in the beam G at its ends, and rmlysecured by means of the rivets h. The truck-frame Bis` provided witha casting, H, or othersuitable projection, on itsunder side, which is `confinedy `thereto byY means of screw-bolts. The swivelplate F3 forms the lower side of the casting H. lt has a projection, a2, which ts a corresponding depression, b2, of the swivel-plate F2. l is a king-bolt, by meansof whichi allthe` abovedescribed swivel-plates.areconfined` together andthe draw-bars and trucks, by means of the swivel-plates, have apartial tnrn on the swivel-1 plates F1 and F?, asthey` change `their posi-- tions in relation to the carstwhen the train" runs from a straight trackontoa curve, and

vice versa, and the longitudinal beam -G by the connection isvheldi at its properheight.` The car-frame `A has a lateralconnection with the truck-frames B by means ofthe swivel- The latter are secured byl means of screw-bolts to the cross-timbers i of the frame A, and the former are-held. in con nection therewith by means-of hing-bolts l', the two plates being fitted together bymeans;

of thedepression b3y and projectiouwaa; astseen in` Fig. 2. `The truck-framesjarepermitted to slightly vary their position at their iupper sides in `relation tothe frame-A, in` its longi- `tudlnal dlrectlon, in` accommodation to any:

irregularities of the track-rails,so as to free the conneetionsof` the trucks with the longi- .with suitable stops.

"by means of rivets. tube is inserted in` the recess q of the drawtudinal beam C of tall strain in that direction. This object isr accomplished `by the connection of the swivel-plates F4 with the cross-timbers Z lof the trucks, by means of the rabbeted ways-7c 7c, as seen in Fig. 3. 'I make a positive rigid connection of the longitudinal beam G with' the frame A in` the direction ot' its length by means of one or more studs or uprights, m, the upper ends having rigid stops, against which` the nprights bear, but against which they lare permitted to slide in the lateral direc- 'tion of the frame A, in accommodation to ir- 1 `regularity of the road.

`The horizontal timber J may be framed on the upper ends of the studs m when two or more are used, in which case the timber may run the whole distance between the crosstimbers tof the frame A, and its ends butt against them, as shown `in Fig. 2,-if desired, or the-ends may extend to anyother convenient points ot" the frame for connecting them .atitheir upper ends, either with `or `without theuseof the timber J. `Or any other suitable mcans may be used to give requisite stiffness to` the connection of the beam Gwith the frame-A. The draw-bars D may beconstructed in any. manner iniwhich the swivel-plates `F may-be connected with their inner? ends.

In the drawings I have representedthe main and middle portion` constructed of a tube, o, with the inner `end ot' which the projection p of the swivel-plate isconnectedand fastened Theouter end of: the

head` D2, and has within its-bore the bumperspring L situatedbetween the standing-plate rand the follower r1. -The bore between the standing-plate and the projection p of the .swivel-plate lF is filled up `withthewooden fcore M, for the i purpose` of increasin g the; lat- `eralstiifness ofthe drawbar,to increase Aits power `of resistance to the bumping. The

`outer end of the-core ,servestosnpport the On the outer 4end ofthe `standing-plate i". draw-bar is placedthe friction-wheel N ,1 which :rests uponthe middle-portion ofthe bcntrod `\R,.the endsfof which. are-connected with the end timber Z ofthe truck-frame B, asseen in Figs. land 2. 'llhesaid middle portion of the `rod is concentrici with; the king-bolt 1Lgfortthe purpose of keeping. the friction-wheeli in its i longitudinalposition` on .theMdraw-bar during the oscillations of the lilatter. The-height of l:the draw-.bar may-be readily` adjusted lat `its outerend to` correspond to the height `ofi any other one with which it may fbecoupled, by

having differential diameters to` thcfrictionwheel N, and connecting one end of the piece tim- Dl (seen in Figs. 3 and 4) with the swivelplate F by means of the horizontal joint-pin d, whereby the draw-bar may have a vertical oscillation necessary to the varied heights of lthe draw-heads A. A similar joint in the draw-bars is shown in my patent of September 28, 1875. This joint will, however, be unnecessary if the swivel-plates of all the trucks are of equal height, or nearly so. S is a vertical bar, the upper end of which is iitted to swing on the outer end of the rodT, the inner end of which is connected with the end timber l ofthe truck-frame, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The lower end `of the bar is bifurcated, and straddles the draw-bar D, and is made of sufficient weight to always incline the bar to a vertical position, to bring or keep the draw-bar when uncoupled in line with the central vertical plane of the truck, as seen in g Fig. 3to facilitate its coupling.

For the purpose of keeping' the pairs of draw-bars, which are coupled together, in line during the bumping of the same, to insure a positive and firm resistance to the bumping,

I make the outer 4 ends of the draw-heads D2 dat horizontally, and at right angles to their draw-bars, as shown in Figs. 1 and 7. They may be slightly convex vertically, so as to butt fairly against each other, even should they not be in line horizontally. When the ordinary beam C would be in the way of any devices arranged beneath the truck-frames, I contemplate using two beams parallel with each other, of a suitable distance apart, the swivel-plates F1 and F2 being connected therewith in any convenient manner.

The cars having my improved draw-bars arranged beneath the truck-frames should have additional draw-heads or lilik-sockets,

at the ordinary height, to provide for coupling said cars, when required, with a train of cars having the ordinary dran/bars.

I claim as my invention- 1. The longitudinal beam C,4 having the swivel-plates F2 at its ends, in combination with the truck-frames B, having swivel-plates F3 centrally arranged `with their under sides, and

held in connection with the said swivel-plates Fzby means of king-bolts I, substantially in l the manner and for the purpose set forth.

v 2. The combination of the swivel-plates F4 and F5 and king-bolts I with the car-frame A and truck-frames B, having rabbeted ways la k, whereby the trucks have a positive lateral connection with the car-frame, but are free to move at their upper sides in the longitudinal direction thereof', substantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth. I v

3. The combination of the longitudinal beam C, having one or more uprights, m,'with the frame A, with which the upper end of the said upright o r uprights have a positive connection in the longitudinal direction of the frame, but are free to move in lateral direction, substantially in the manner described and for the purpose set' forth. Y

4. The draw-bars D, having swivel-plates F on their inner ends, in combination with the longitudinal beam C, having swivel-plates Fland F2, substantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination of the bent rod R with` the truck-frame B and draw-bar D, for supporting the latter, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination of the weighted bar S, draw-'bar D, supporting-rod T, and truckframe B, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. The oscillating draw-bar D, having a draw-head with the butting end, fiat and at right-angles to the draw-bar, substantially in the manner-'and for the purpose set forth.

' STEPHEN USTIOK.

Witnesses:

THOMAS J. BEWLEY, GEO. G. HETZEL. 

